Bush and the Republicans – Soft on Crime

The New York Times has reported on a debate beginning among legal scholars in the wake of the President’s commuting of Libby’s sentence because it was “too harsh”. Read it here.

Some of the arguments Dubya cited for commuting ol’ Scooter’s sentence were the same arguments that defense lawyers have been using AGAINST the Justice Department about sentencing in Federal criminal cases. Bush has, in essence, given a new precedent for convicted criminals in the Federal courts to use to lessen their sentences.